Variable effective temperature laminator thermalbinder

Abstract

A variable speed, constant temperature laminator including a slot with a terminal portion for receiving perfect binders, rollers for applying heat and pressure to items to be laminated therebetween, a channel for feeding the items to be laminated between the rollers, a heater disposed along a length of the channel terminating in at least one arcuate fin member disposed closely adjacent to and at least partially about the rollers, the heater further includes a thin walled portion proximate the terminal portion of the slot for heating perfect binders received in the slot; and a driver for driving the rollers at variable speeds for maintaining a constant actual temperature for the heater and constant pressure while achieving a variable effective temperature for items passing between the rollers.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A variable effective temperature laminator comprising: roller means for applying heat and pressure to items to be laminated therebetween;   a channel for feeding the items to be laminated between the roller means;   heater means disposed along a length of said channel including a platen terminating in at least one thin arcuate member disposed closely adjacent to and at least partially about said roller means;   means for driving said rollers at variable speeds for maintaining a constant actual temperature for said heater means while achieving a variable effective temperature for items passing between said roller means; and   a slot with a terminal portion for receiving perfect binders.   
     
     
       2. The laminator of claim 1 in which the heater means further includes a thin walled portion proximate the terminal portion of said slot for heating perfect binders received in said slot. 
     
     
       3. The laminator of claim 1 in which said thin arcuate member is positioned closely adjacent to the roller means but in a non-contacting relationship therewith to define a gap. 
     
     
       4. The laminator of claim 1 in which said thin arcuate member terminates in an inwardly extending finger member for removing residual previously melted plastic adhesive from said roller means. 
     
     
       5. The laminator of claim 1 in which said slot for receiving perfect binders further includes a resilient bow spring for urging the sheets being bound therein to be biased together within the slot to enhance the perfect binding thereof. 
     
     
       6. The laminator of claim 5 in which said bow spring is heated. 
     
     
       7. The laminator of claim 1 in which said thin arcuate member is made of ductile metal thereby enabling adjustment of the thin arcuate member with respect to the roller means. 
     
     
       8. The laminator of claim 7 in which said thin arcuate member further includes several slots formed therein for receiving a tool for adjusting the thin arcuate member with respect to the roller means. 
     
     
       9. The laminator of claim 1 in which said roller means includes at least opposing first and second rollers. 
     
     
       10. The laminator of claim 9 in which said roller means includes opposing first and second rollers, and opposing third and fourth rollers separated from said first and second rollers along the length of said channel. 
     
     
       11. The laminator of claim 10 in which there is a thin arcuate member disposed proximate at least one of said first and second rollers, and a thin arcuate member disposed proximate at least one of said third and fourth rollers. 
     
     
       12. The laminator of claim 11 in which there is a thin arcuate member disposed proximate each said roller. 
     
     
       13. A variable speed, constant temperature laminator comprising: roller means for applying heat and pressure to items to be laminated therebetween;   a channel for feeding precut items between the roller means;   heater means disposed along a length of said channel including a platen terminating in at least one thin arcuate member disposed closely adjacent to and at least partially about said roller means; and   means for driving said rollers at variable speeds for maintaining a constant actual temperature for said heater means while achieving a variable effective temperature for items passing between said roller means.   
     
     
       14. A variable speed, constant temperature laminator comprising: roller means for applying heat and pressure to items to be laminated therebetween;   a channel for feeding precut items between the roller means;   heater means disposed along a length of said channel including a portion disposed closely adjacent to and at least partially about said roller means; and   means for driving said roller means at variable speeds for maintaining a constant actual temperature for said heater means while achieving a variable effective temperature for items passing between said roller means.   
     
     
       15. The laminator of claim 14 in which said heater means terminates in at least one thin arcuate member disposed closely adjacent to and at least partially about said roller means. 
     
     
       16. A variable speed, constant temperature laminator comprising: roller means for applying heat and pressure to items to be laminated therebetween;   a channel for feeding precut items between the roller means;   heater means including at least one thin arcuate member disposed closely adjacent to and at least partially about said roller means; and   means for driving said roller means at variable speeds for maintaining a constant actual temperature for said heater means while achieving a variable effective temperature for items passing between said roller means.   
     
     
       17. A variable speed, constant temperature laminator comprising: roller means for laminating items passed therebetween;   heater means for heating the items passed between said roller means; and   means for driving said roller means at variable speeds for maintaining a constant actual temperature for said heater means while achieving a variable effective temperature applied to items passing between said roller means.   
     
     
       18. A variable effective temperature laminator comprising: roller means for applying heat and pressure to items to be laminated therebetween;   a channel for feeding precut items between the roller means;   heater means disposed along a length of said channel including a platen terminating in at least one thin arcuate member disposed closely adjacent to and at least partially about said roller means;   means for driving said rollers at variable speeds for maintaining a constant actual temperature for said heater means while achieving a variable effective temperature for items passing between said roller means; and   a slot for receiving perfect binders.   
     
     
       19. The laminator of claim 18 in which said heater means further includes a thinned wall portion proximate a terminal end of said slot. 
     
     
       20. A variable speed, constant temperature laminator comprising: roller means for applying heat and pressure to items to be laminated therebetween;   a channel for feeding precut items between the roller means;   heater means disposed along a length of said channel including a portion disposed closely adjacent to and at least partially about said roller means;   means for driving said roller means at variable speeds for maintaining a constant actual temperature for said heater means while achieving the variable effective temperature for items passing between said roller means; and   a slot for binding perfect binders, said heater means including a thinned wall portion proximate the terminal end of said slot.   
     
     
       21. A variable speed, constant temperature laminator comprising: roller means for applying heat and pressure to items to be laminated therebetween;   a channel for feeding precut items between the roller means;   heater means disposed along a length of said channel including opposing platens, each platen terminating in at least one thin arcuate member disposed closely adjacent to and at least partially about said roller means; and   means for driving said rollers at variable speeds for maintaining a constant actual temperature for said heater means while achieving a variable effective temperature for items passing between said roller means.